Directory assistance with data processing station

• US 20080081661A1
• Filed: 08/29/2007
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jingle Networks Incorporated (Marchex Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Jingle Networks Incorporated (Marchex Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wolmuth, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,107,602 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems

Abstract

The current invention is a system for providing directory assistance service in which a user sends a request to the system and the system will, based on the request, return advertisements, which may be in a visible or audible form. The advertisements are selected from a databank, which may include any number advertisements categorized within the category associated with the service, according to selection criteria. After the advertising announcement is completed, the directory assistance call is processed as usual.

Claims

1. A method for providing directory assistance information in a public telecommunication network, the network comprising a customer station and a data processing station, the method comprising:

at the customer station;

initiating a request to the data processing station to set up a data connection from the customer station to the data processing station;

providing a request for information for a provider of goods or services;

at the data processing station;

receiving the request for information from the customer station;

examining the request for information to identify a category associated with the specific provider of goods or services;

selecting an advertisement categorized within the category;

retrieving the selected advertisement from a stored media;

forwarding the selected advertisement to the customer station; and

at the customer station, receiving the selected advertisement.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer station is a handheld personal computer (PC).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for information and/or the advertisement are provided in a wireless environment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for information and/or the advertisement are of a visual nature.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

querying a database for selecting the advertisement.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing access to a service associated with the selected advertisement.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

connecting the customer station to a telephone number associated with the selected advertisement.

8. A system comprising:

a customer station including data connection circuitry; and

a data processing station that operates to receive a request for directory assistance information from the customer station, to examine the request for directory assistance information to identify a category associated with a specific provider of goods or services, to automatically select an advertisement from a plurality of advertisements categorized within the category, to retrieve the selected advertisement from a stored media, and to forward the selected advertisement to the customer station.

9. The system of claim 8, the customer station further comprising:

an input device to obtain a data input used for accessing the data processing station;

a transmitter that operates to transmit the request for directory assistance information, wherein the data connection circuitry operates to set up a data connection from the customer station to the data processing station; and

a first a receiver that operates to receive the selected advertisement.

10. The system of claim 9, the data processing station further comprising:

a second receiver that operates to receive the request for directory assistance information from the customer station; and

a processor that operates to retrieve the selected advertisement from a stored media.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a database apparatus that operates to process a query to determine the selected advertisement, the query having at least one query parameter derived from the request for directory assistance information.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the customer station is a handheld PC.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the request for information and/or the advertisement are provided in a wireless environment.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the request for information and/or the advertisement are of a visual nature.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the call processing station further provides access to a service associated with the selected advertisement.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the customer station is selectively connected to a telephone number associated with the selected advertisement.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the customer station is connected to the service provider associated with the selected advertisement only after prompting a user.

18. The system of claim 8, wherein the customer station is selectively connected to a telephone number for the specific provider associated with the request for information.